Defoliating with compounds containing the nsccl3 group



United States Patent OfiFice 2,875,030 Patented Feb. .24, 1959 2,875,030 DEFOLIATING WITH COMPOUNDS THE NSCCI3 GROUP William H. Brugmann, Jr., Milltown, Howard L. Yowell, Westfield, and Allen R. Kittleson, Cranford, N. J., assignors to Esso Research and Engineering Company, a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application September 8, 1955 Serial No. 533,246

5 Claims. (Cl. 712.5)

CONTAINING This invention relates to improved compositions and methods for defoliating plants. More particularly it relates to improved aqueous emulsions for carrying out,

these purposes.

The importance and desirability of defoliating living NSCCIt group linked to two=carbon atoms of the residual organic compound are especially eflective defoliants. These emulsions comprise in addition to the active ingrenients and water, a mineral spray oil and an oil soluble emulsifying agent. All these four components in combination are necessary to secure the desired defoliating effect without deleteriously affecting the remainder of the plant, e. g., the ,active ingredient without the oil in the formulation hasino utility for this purpose. The concentrations, as explained in further detail below, are also extremely important in this connection as lesser quantities of the compounds having the group do not produce the desired results.

{The compounds containing the NSC Ola group and their preparation are disclosed at length in U. 8 Patents 2,553,770, 2,553,771, 2,553,774, and 2,553,

775. Their use as non-phytotoxic parasiticides is also disclosed in those patents. The present invention is based onthe discovery that in rather high concentrations in the indicated oil emulsion systems they also have defoliating characteristics.

The physiologically active compounds of this invention may thusbest be represented as having the NSC Ola groupin which the nitrogen is linked to two carbon atoms, twoiacyl groupsQor one acyl group and one carbon atom. The phrase acyl Tgrouprefers to groups of the following character: t

istry of Nitrogen,

Dictionary, second edition, When the'nitrogen atom of the etc. (see Hackh, Chemical page 21).

NSO Ola is linked to one acyl group, the compounds may be regarded as amide derivatives, i. e., N-thiotrichloroinethyl' amides (or N-trichloromethylthio amides). When both of the free linkages of the \NSC 013 group are taken up by acyl groups, the compounds may be regarded as N-thiotrichloromethyl imides (or N-trichloromethylthio imides). (See Sidgwicks Organic Chem- 1937 edition, pages 136 and 152.)

' The N-thiotrichloromethyl imides (or N-trichloromethylthio imides) which have the following general formula R NSCCla where Ris an organic residue, are especially effective. The organic residue may be aliphatic, aromatic, alicyclic, heterocyclic, and their substituted derivatives. Typical of the compounds that 'can be utilized are N-trichloromethylthio tetrahydrophthalimide, N-trichloromethylthio phthalimide, N-trichloromethylth io endomethylene tetrahydrophthalimide, N-trichloromethylthio succinimide, chlorinated N-trichlorornethylthio tetrahydrophthalimide, N-trichloromethylthio 4-nitrophthalimicle, N-trichloromethylthio 5,5-dirnethyl oxazolidine 2,4-dione, N-trichloromethylthio S-methyl 5-ethyl oxazolidine, 2,4-dione, 'N- trichlorornethylthio 5,5-pentamethylene oxazolidine 2,4-

dione;N-trichloromethylthio 5-phenyl S-methyl oxazolidine, 2,4-dione, N-trichloromethylthio morpholine, N- trichloromethylthio S-isobiityl S-methyl oxazolidine 2,4- dione, N-trichlorornethylthio S-cyclopropyl. S-methyl oxazolidine 2,4-dione, ,N-trichloromethylthio 2,4-dioxothiazolidine, N-trichloromethylthio o-henzoic sulfimide, 3- trichloromethylthio 5,5-dimethyl hydantoin, l-nitro 3- ,trichloromethylthio.5,5-dimethyl hydantoin, l-acetyl 3- trichloromethylthio 5,5-dimethyl hydantoin, and N-trichloromethylthio C alkanyl succinimide. Particularly effective compounds are N-trichloromethylthio 3-methyl tetrahydrophthalimide, N-trichloromethylthio hexahydrophthalimide, N-trichlorornethylthio 5,5-dimethyl oxazolidine 2,4-dione, and N-trichloromethylthio morpholine.

The mineral oil carries which may be utilized are, for

example, anyof the it normally used horticultural spray oils. For practical reasons these oils will usually be mineral oils, but oils of animal or vegetable origin or synthetic oils are also satisfactory. In general, the oils should be of a relatively bland, non-toXic nature since any compositionwhich would kill the plant outright could not promote the development of the abscission layers which 1 is necessary to successful'defoliation. In order to avoid objectionable staining of the cotton fibers, oilswith only a fairly light color should be used.

These oils typically have a boiling point in the range, R, a viscosity in the range of 30m 150.

of 250 to550 .SSU/ 100 F. and the petroleum oils are predominantly 'at least 50 wt. percent to wt. percent saturated hydrocarbons, paraffinic or naphthenic. The synthetic oxygenated fraction known as Oxo bottoms'can also be utilized,

and are intended to be cdnnoted by the term .mineral spray oil. The preparation and the characterof these 'Oxo bottorns-are described in detail in U; S. Patent 1' V n 3 I 2,586,681; Blends of the mineral spray oils can also be utilized.

The emulsifying agents that: can be utilized are oil soluble-emulsifying agents known to the. art. These include byway of example bytrade name and chemical description as follows: Igepal CD'630, alkyl aryl polyoxyeth ylene glycol ether; Acto, petroleum sulfonates; Nonisol 210, polyethylene glycol oleate; Mulsor 3CW, long chain fatty acid ester containing multiple ether linkages; Triton X45, .ralkylated aryl polyether alcohol; and a petroleum sulfonate modified with a minor amount of a nonionic emulsifier. Blends can be utilized.

The compositions of this invention are thus conveniently made up in the forms of emulsion concentrates containing 5 to 50 wt. percent of the active ingredient, 40 to 90 wt. percent of the mineral spray oil, and l to wt. percent of the emulsifier. These concentrates can The following examples illustrate this invention and indicate test results obtained with the compositions of this invention emulsified with water.

Example 1 The various active ingredients were applied in the form of aqueous emulsions to cotton plants at the Delta Emulsifiable'Concentrate, Wt. Percent; Conan. of

Emuls, Appllcn Defoll- Gone. in Rate of ation Mineral Oil Water Emuls, Percent Active Ingredients Carrier Emulsifi'or (Wt. ger- Gal/Acre cen N-triehloromethylthlo 3-methyl tetrahy- WS-l449,87%. Mulsor 30W, 3% +Acto 40: 80

drophthalimide, 8%. 630, 2%. N-trichloromethylthio 5,5-dunethyl oxa- WS14.49,87%.- ,Mulsor W, 3% +Acto 25 E 80 zolidine 2,4-di'me 8%. .2% N-tricliloromethylthio morpholine, 8%.-.. WS1449,87% MlslogqfiOw, 3% +Acto 25 r 40 E 85' N-trichloromethylthio, hexahydrophthalws-1449.s1%. Mulsor 30w, 3% +Act0 2s 4 as irn' e, 8%. v 630, 2%. r

0 (III".

NSQCI; ,W'SI1A49,91%..- Mulsor 30W, 3% +Aet0 25 20 t 6540 1 630, 2%. f

N S,OC1; Vars01#1,92%-.... Tween:21, 3%.. .,-.v..-v--.-.--1 25 20. -65. ll

4%- CE, %0 CHs-C C\ p l |/NSCG1; Var-sol #1, 91% MulsorytlOW, 3% +Acto 25 20 E C\V 0- I C a 0 4%. I N "Q. .WT-Se1449,87,%.-.-- Meualgoryiicw, 3% +Act0 2E 40 20 l Acto 630+63% petroleum sulionate inmineral oil.

centrati'ons as well as the compounds are important to.

secure: the desired. activity.

: The, aqueous. emulsion israpplied to the plants, at a:

rate of. 5. to. 40: gallons per acre, preferably 5 to 20 gallons per acre. The lower figures are used for airplane spraying: andrthe upper figures. for ground.v spray equip ment. time- .of application varies'withthe plant, e. g; most etiectively' applied to; cotton plants. when haveropened. Ten days to two: weeks isall that is normally required. to secure the maximum defoliation. No adverse effect is noted onthe drops: where the. composie tion. of this. invention is applied to. cotton. -It can: alsobegapplied to edible, dry-beans, soy beans and flax.

the latter have matured as when 40% of the. cotton balls original leaves, times 100. 65

emulsified compositions of this invention containing as little as l wt. percent of the active, defoliant, as contrasted to 20% for the control.

The utilization of the compositions of this inventionrepresents extremely large labor savings and lower growing costs.

It. isto, be understood that this, invention is not limited to the specific examples which have been. offered merely as. illustrations, and. that modifications maybe made with-1' out departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is: V "l l. A method of defoliating a cotton plant which comprises applying, to. said plant arr-aqueous emulsion of a concentrate comprising from 5 to 50 weight percent of a N-trichloromethylthio imide of a carboxylic acid having the following general formula wherein R is an organic residue, from 40 to 90 wt.

percent of a non-toxic mineral spray oil, and from 1 chemical compound is N-trichloromethylthio 3-methyl tetrahydrophthalimide.

4. The method of claim I in which the organic chemical compound is N-trichloromethylthio hexahydro phthalimide.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the organic chemical compound is N-trichloromethylthio 5,5-dimethyl oxazolidine 2,4-dione.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,553,770 Kittleson May 22, 1951 2,553,771 Kittleson et al. May 22, 1951 2,553,776 Kittleson May 22, 1951 2,558,762 Kohr et a1. July 3, 1951 2,696,453 Sanders et a1 Dec. 7, 1954 2,713,058 Kittleson July 12, 1955 2,746,854 Yowell et al. May 22, 1956 

1. A METHOD OF DEFOLIATING A COTTON PLANT WHICH COMPRISES APLLYING TO SAID PLANT AN AQUEOUS EMULSION OF A CONCENTRATE COMPRISING FROM 5 TO 50 WEIGHT PERCENT OF A N-TRICHLOROMETHYLTHIO IMIDE OF A CARBOXYLIC ACID HAVING THE FOLLOWING GENERAL FORMULA 